Kiosk
Built a kiosk to help ease navigational tension at San Diego farmer’s market through a class project for DSGN 100 (Prototyping).
Problem
Farmer’s markets can be chaotic
Farmer’s markets encourage healthy eating, bring community together, promote sustainability, and support local farmers. Whether it is someone’s first time attending, vs their hundredth, farmer’s markets are an exciting experience. However, they can tend to be chaotic, busy, and unorganized, which can discourage customers from shopping.
Solution
Map based kiosk
As per the project brief we were told to create a kiosk for a location of our choosing, so we picked a farmer’s market.
I drove research, contributed to wire framing to map out interactions and flow, and co-designed the kiosk with a teammate. My teammate ideated the physical design, and I translated it into measurements and Inkscape files for construction; I assembled it together while she handled painting.
Research
Testimonials from farmer’s market customers & organizers
Online Research
We looked at how vendors and consumers use farmers markets today and reviewed existing apps and forums. Users reported six recurring pain points:
- Unwelcoming
- Overcrowded atmospheres
- High perceived cost versus grocery stores
- Parking access
- Trouble remembering vendor names and locations
- Confusion around recommendations
Field Observations
We visited three San Diego markets and La Jolla stood out for its intentional organization.
Interviews
We interviewed 5 attendees, 1 organizer, and 1 manager across Ocean Beach, La Jolla, and UCSD markets, using storyboards as prompts. 4/5 attendees struggled to navigate the markets; all attendees who'd noticed vendors relocate were frustrated by it. Both organizers wanted a mall-style kiosk with check-ins, maps, and filters. Core needs:
- Real-time vendor availability
- Location tracking
- Entry-point info
- Reminders
Synthesis
Across all three research methods, the same problem kept surfacing in different forms: farmers markets are disorienting.
Whether it was vendors who moved spots between visits, unclear entry points, or no way to know who was even at the market that day, the confusion was what pushed people away, not the markets themselves. People didn't want a fundamentally different experience, but for the one they already loved to be easier to navigate.
Wireframing
Testing out interactions via wireframes
I mapped out the user flows and interactions for three core components of our prototype (the search functionality, interactive map, and rental bag feature), developed through a sentence ideation process to ensure a seamless and intuitive user experience. The prototype tested well overall. Users navigated confidently with minimal guidance, responding positively to the clear onboarding, familiar interaction patterns, and market-aligned visual design.
Improvements made based on feedback:
- Map: confusing icon and sparse labels → updated icon, added street labels and visual cues
- Vendor Discovery: lack of visual context → improved vendor visualization and refined categories
- Filtering: unclear "Enter to apply" behavior → implemented live filtering
- Readability: dense text caused skimming → simplified content and added clearer instructions
- Feedback & Flow: insufficient system responses → added feedback cues and redesigned the final step
Key Features
Map, Search, Rent a Bag
Map
Our research consistently pointed to navigation as the biggest pain point. Interviewees were frustrated when vendors moved spots, and field observations showed that markets with clearer organization felt noticeably easier to enjoy. We designed the map to help users locate vendors directly and labeled surrounding streets for added directional context, making it easier to navigate the market and find what they were looking for.
Search
Interview and survey data showed users struggled to find specific products or vendors, especially in larger, busier markets. We designed search to let users filter by category, helping them get to what they actually came for without wading through the full market.
Rental Bag
Several interviewees mentioned forgetting to bring a bag as a recurring frustration, often turning a quick trip into an inconvenience. We designed this feature to remove that barrier entirely, giving users a reliable way to carry their groceries even if they showed up unprepared.
Demo
Video walkthrough of digital kiosk experience
Map: The user is able to find a specific vendor on the map and text the directions to that location to their own phone.
Search: The user is able to search for the vendors who sell produce and send the locations to their phone.
Rental Bag: The user is able to go through the steps of renting and returning the bag. The delays on screen correspond with the Wizard of Oz prototyping done in person. The delay on the payment screen is to account for the user tapping to pay. The delay on the return/rent is to account for the kiosk identifying/ dispensing the bag.
Build
From sketch to wood
Final Kiosk
1st place winner
The kiosk design integrates the screen seamlessly into the structure, with a small scalloped edge detail that echoes the rooflines of market vendor stalls. A front-facing acrylic window and retrieval area serve as a "vending machine" for our bag rental system, dispensing bags using the Wizard of Oz method. Customers can return rentals through a slot located behind the screen, and pay using tap-to-pay or cash. The project won first place at the final DSGN 100 showcase.
